Chicken Nanban (チキン南蛮)
Japan
Traditional dish from Miyazaki Prefecture consisting of crispy chicken thigh fillet pieces fried in oil, coated with a sweet‑and‑sour sauce and served with a salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomato, accompanied by tartar sauce.
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken thigh fillet
- 2 pcs egg
- to taste lettuce
- to taste cucumber
- to taste tomato
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste flour
- to taste vegetable oil
- 100 ml mayonnaise
- 40 g onion
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
Steps
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Prepare the tartar sauce: peel the hard-boiled egg, chop it into small pieces, finely slice the onion, mix them with mayonnaise and stir well.
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Prepare the sweet‑and‑sour sauce: in a separate bowl mix soy sauce, vinegar and sugar, then transfer the mixture to a tray.
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Prepare the chicken: place the fillet skin‑side down, cut thick spots, trim tendons, cut into pieces 4‑5 cm long, season with salt and pepper. Beat the eggs, and in a separate bowl prepare flour. Coat the pieces first in flour, shake off excess, then dip in beaten egg.
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Heat vegetable oil in a pan to 160 °C (layer ≈ 3 cm) and fry the chicken pieces for 3‑4 minutes, turning occasionally. When they rise to the surface, increase temperature to 170 °C, remove the chicken, place on a rack, then dip it in the sweet‑and‑sour sauce for 1‑2 minutes so it absorbs the sauce on all sides.
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Prepare the salad: wash and tear the lettuce leaves, slice the cucumber thinly on the diagonal, divide the tomato into 8 wedges.
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Place the cooked chicken pieces on a plate, arrange lettuce leaves, cucumber and tomato beside them, and drizzle a small amount of tartar sauce.
FAQ
How to make Chicken Nanban taste like it's from an anime?
Our recipe focuses on authentic flavors and textures, ensuring that crispy chicken and balanced sweet-and-sour sauce, just like you'd imagine in a Studio Ghibli film. Pay attention to the frying technique and homemade tartar sauce for the best results.
What can I substitute for Japanese mayonnaise in Chicken Nanban tartar sauce?
If Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie) is unavailable, you can use regular mayonnaise mixed with a pinch of sugar and a dash of rice vinegar to mimic its signature sweet and tangy profile.
How is Chicken Nanban pronounced in Japanese?
Chicken Nanban is pronounced "Chee-keen Nahn-bahn" (チキン南蛮). The "chi" is like in "cheese," and "nan" is like in "Nancy."
Which region of Japan does Chicken Nanban originate from?
Chicken Nanban is a specialty dish from the Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
Can Umami Guru's AI assistant help me prepare Chicken Nanban?
Yes! The Umami Guru app can guide you through each step of this Chicken Nanban recipe, help you calculate costs, and even suggest ingredient substitutions if you're missing something.